I am pleased to announce that Edward Summers, Ph.D., Chief of Staff and Director of the Kelly Adirondack Research Center at Union College in Schenectady, N.Y., has accepted the position as my Chief Deputy effective August 1. As Chief Deputy, Eddie will report directly to me and will also serve as my advisor and chief of staff.

As Chief Deputy, Eddie will act as my designee in circumstances when I cannot be present. He will manage high level relationships with internal and external constituencies representing my views as necessary with key stakeholders. He will be responsible for independently carrying out major responsibilities under the purview of my office, such as monitoring and evaluating unit activities, serving as chair of key committees and communicating with senior leadership at the University. He will serve on accreditation committees and respond to faculty and student matters, interface with the Committee on Academic Planning and Resource Allocation (CAPRA), and supervise several offices/programs that report into my office including Conferences and Special Events, Organizational Wellness and Healthier U Initiatives and the Long Island Regional Advisory Council on Higher Education (LIRACHE).

Eddie joins Stony Brook with nearly eleven years of experience as an executive-level administrator supporting the work of a college president. One of his major accomplishments at Union College was to establish the Kelly Adirondack Research Center, a modern, fully-accessible research facility equipped with offices and conference rooms, that houses the Adirondack Research Library which operates as a branch of the Union College library. Prior to joining Union College, Eddie spent more than seven years as an Assistant to the President for Marist College. In addition to providing executive-level support to Marist’s president, which included assistance with the Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development Council, he was an adjunct professor of public administration and policy, served as program director for Presidential Referral Scholars and was Director of Marist Africa Programs.

Eddie received his B.A. in Political Science from Marist College, where he also earned his Master’s in Public Administration, and he earned a M.Phil. and a Ph.D. in Urban and Public Policy from The New School University. He is an expert in the field of economic development where his research interests include planning in the area of small city economic development models. He has written about higher education and economic development issues for various media outlets including the Huffington Post and the Poughkeepsie Journal, and has been invited to speak on both topics, nationally and internationally.

Active nationally in the conversation surrounding higher education issues, Eddie serves on the Board of National Association of Presidential Assistants in Higher Education (NAPAHE) and on the national task force for College For Every Student (CFES). He has also been active in the Hudson River Valley area and the Capital Region, serving on a number of boards including the Dutchess County Industrial Development Agency (IDA); the Schenectady County Chamber of Commerce; Protect the Dream Youth Programs; Dutchess Outreach; Quest; Living Resources Foundation Board; President of the Board of Directors for the Catherine Street Community Center; and is Treasurer for the Board of Directors for the Eleanor Roosevelt Center at Val Kill.

Eddie’s experience working at the senior management level of higher education in New York State, coupled with his academic and research background made him stand out as a top candidate for this position. I am very happy that he agreed to join Stony Brook, and I truly look forward to welcoming him to our community.